Vehicle-top



(No Model.) v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.,

' E. D. STEVENSON.

VEHICLE TOP. .No. 513,739. Patented Jan.. 30, 1894.

gpgleeded. l'glge z for? 5 al W I ma).-

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet ,2.

E. D.STEVENSON.. VEHICLE TOP.

No. 513,739. Patented Jan. 30, 1894.

uuuuuuuuuuuu n.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN-D. STEVENSON, OF WADSWORTH, OHIO.

VEHICLE-TOP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 513,739, dated January 30, 1894.

Application filed January 21, 1893. Serial No. 469,162. (No model.)

T at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN D. STEVENSON, of Wadsworth, in the county of Medina and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Tops; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in vehicle-tops.

' An objectionable feature in the construction of vehicle-tops heretofore made consists in that the padded covering of the top would soon lose its original smooth and even shape, resulting from the folding of said covering in lowering the top.

The object of my invention is, therefore, to provide suitable means whereby the covering of the top is, at all times, given a smooth, even and well-stretched appearance when the vehicle-top is raised or elevated.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a threebow vehicle-top embodying my invention, showing the top attached to a Vehicleseat, and in its lowered position, with the central bow of the top folded against the rear bow,

- the top-covering being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a side elevation in vertical section of the upper portion of a vehicle-top showing the top in its raised and unfolded position. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan in section on line 3-3. Fig. 2, and Fig. i is a side elevation,relative to Fig. 3, showing in'dotted lines the position of parts exactly corresponding to the position of parts shown in Fig. 3, and showing in solid lines the bows of the vehicle-top and the topcovering folded together. 7

Referring to the drawings, A represent the seat of the vehicle; B the vehicle-top, and b the point of attachment of said top to the vehicle-seat.

The drawings illustrate a three bow vehi ole-top.

0 represents the bows.

D represents the top-covering of the vehicle-top, the same being secured to the bows in any suitable man ner. Just inside the top-covering between the bows, at each side of the vehicle-top, is

provided a pair of plates or forms, E, that are secured, in any suitable manner, preferably, as shown, by means of straps or bands,

6, to the main links G of a double jointed toggle that at opposite ends is pivotally secured, respectively, as at g, to the bows of the vehicle-top between which said pair of plates or forms E are located, G" representing the short link that connects the main links of the toggle and forms the doublejoint 6c of the toggle. Plates or forms E are of a shape conforming to the desired curvature or shape of the top-covering of the vehicle-top, and the ends of the toggles are preferably pivotally connected with the respective bows at two points located a suitable interval apart as shown in Fig. 3.

By my improved construction, it will be observed that when using the vehicle-top, upon straightening the toggles that support or carry plates or forms E, the top-covering will be given the proper shape, giving the covering .an even, regular and well-stretched appearance, and hence avoiding the unsightliness that soon attaches to the construction 7 5 of vehicle-tops now generally used. The collapsing or tripping of the toggles is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 4:, Fig. l exhibiting the top in its lowered position with the toggles straightened between the central and So forward bows, and collapsed or folded together between the central and rearward bows, and Fig. 4 exhibiting, in dotted lines, the toggles between two bows in a straightened position, and exhibiting, in solid lines, 8 5 the toggles, and consequently the top-covering, folded together. It will also be observed that the toggles not only support plates or forms G, as hereinbefore indicated, but also serve to brace apart the bows of the vehicletop. The short links Gr thatform the double joints of the toggles, are preferably provided with a button g or other suitable means for convenience in actuating the toggle.

What I claim is- In a vehicle-top, the combination with the bows and top-covering, of double-jointed toggles pivotally secured to and adapted to brace apart adjacent bows, plates or forms located inside of the top-covering and secured to I00 said toggles, the links of the toggles and attion,in the presence of two witnesses, this 24th taclfied fornis being adapted to be folded to day of November, 1892. get er and said forms being adapted to give the top-covering the desired shape when the EDWIN STEVENSON 5 toggles are straightened, substantially as set Witnesses:

forth. R. H. STEVENSON, In testimony whereof I sign this specificn- AARON PARDEE. 

